Artnewspress : It’s been about 2 days since I finished this show and it has genuinely not left my mind ever since. I usually never leave reviews on shows/movies I watch either, so me leaving one for this show speaks volumes to just how much I enjoyed Squid Game. The acting is beyond phenomenal in my opinion and evoked emotions in me that I had never felt in any other show before. (this review is spoiler free, don’t worry.) Every little detail that went into the production value, the acting, the plot, the character development, the set designs, EVERYTHING was just absolutely amazing. I went into this show thinking I would mostly enjoy it and that would be it, however I did not expect it to impact me as much as it did. The hype Squid Game is receiving at the moment is very much deserved, and I HIGHLY recommend this show to anyone who hasn’t seen it/needs something new to binge on. (really, I finished all 9 episodes in one sitting. over 9 hours.) I have been recommending this show to everyone I know so far and even if you aren’t the biggest fan of violent/bloody shows I genuinely believe to give this one a chance, you won’t be disappointed. This show has something for everyone; it’s emotional, dramatic, comedic at times, and has enough blood scenes for suspense/thrill lovers to enjoy. I really cannot explain enough just how much I love this show, it’s one of my favorites on Netflix now that’s for sure. Kudos to the cast and team behind this show as well, they’ve worked so hard and all the hard work that went into production is rightfully paying off. So if you have been looking for a sign on whether or not to watch Squid Game, this is your sign.
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A story about cash strapped contestants competing in children’s games with only 2 outcomes – either $ 38M in cash or death in a flash. 10 reasons to watch it: 1. Ranked # 1 among Netflix’s most popular shows in 90 countries. 2. An insane plot initially conceptualized in 2008 but rejected several times eventually turning into a worldwide phenomenon is enough to stir up anybody’s curiosity. 3. Brilliant multitasker Hwang Dong Hyuk was both writer and director so nothing was “lost in translation”, enabling the storyline to be directly translated into actions and emotions just as they had been intended by the storyteller. 4. Superb acting all around, from the lead characters to the supporting cast, even the cameo roles. It did not matter whether they are seasoned actors or rookies, superstars or not so well-known. Their acting talents were all at par. Their competencies were the same level. And just how impressive were they? Well for one, Ho Yeon Jung, a first-time actress with a following of 400K on Instagram pre-Squid Game era is currently the most followed Korean actress with 18.4 million followers, and counting! If her acting was lackluster or lame then these 18 million new fans of hers wouldn’t have clicked “Follow” on social media. * Note: A huge exception to the acting praises is the group of VIPs whose cringeworthy delivery was probably the reason why their identities were strategically concealed with elaborate masks. Completely shameful. 5. Captivating set design and enthralling art direction with minimal use of CGI for a more realistic and riveting effect. 6. Gruesome, grotesque and gory scenes are not really my thing but somehow the treatment of these scenes was done in a creatively tricky way so they did not make me close my eyes, shudder in fear and have nightmares at night. 7. Bizarre oxymoron with the most extreme contradictions. How can seemingly harmless children’s games be played with blatantly harmful results? How can an innocent looking doll cause carnage or a whimsical playground transform into a bloodbath? Quite disturbing, nonetheless, impactful. 8. Genius musical score using familiar classical music to tone down the shock factor. Instead of hearing suspenseful tones as a warning that something dreadful is about to happen you hear soothingly nostalgic melodies such as “Fly Me To The Moon”. Weird, but somehow it worked brilliantly. 9. Not annoyingly commercialized with no glaring product placements nor subliminal endorsements. Even the actors ’screen time was not exploitative. Those in the superstar level like Gong Yoo and Lee Byung Hun had minimal exposure, while neophytes Ho Yeon Jung and Anupam Tripathi were highly visible. The creators did not have to heavily rely on A-listers to gain widespread popularity. 10. In spite it being a purely Korean presentation there were ironically no communication and cultural barriers which brought about its global appeal. It vividly showcased how human frailties and imperfections bear no nationality.
Saloomeh Farhadian
